When a golf ball strikes the green it often leaves a small indentation, referred to as a “pitch mark”. To eradicate these holes, golfers use a pitch mark repairer, which is typically a two-pronged piece of metal or plastic that allows the player to lift up the turf compressed by the impact of the golf ball, thereby removing the indentation. It is also considered good practice to repair other pitch marks if they have been left un-repaired by previous players. Golf clubs generally ask players to repair pitch marks, since an indentation caused by a golf ball will generally be unnoticed within 24 hours if repaired within a few minutes, but damage to the green will take very much longer to recover if not.
Therefore, removing and repairing pitch marks is considered very important by all clubs and players, and it is considered bad etiquette if a player does not make at least some attempt to repair his or her pitch mark.
At present, a golfer must repeatedly bend over to reach their pitch marks on the green, and this can put a significant strain on the golfer's back over time. This is particularly the case in view of the popularity of golf among an ageing population.